Friction draft gear



Y the lower half of the rear shown broken away;

Patented Sept. el, i923.,

g interet entren stares rarenrorrics.`

n WILLIAL E. VANDORN, 0F CHAG, ILLINOIS.

rnrefriori nnnrr GEAR.

Application led January 12, 1921. Serial No.'` L136,646.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, lViLLniir E. VAN Donn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Draft Gears, and declare the following` to be a full,

clear, and exact description Vof the same,y

suchv as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to niake and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple, novel, efficient, durable andcompact friction draft gear for use on railway cars and other placeswhere shocks in opposite directions are to Ybe cushioned.

'The various'features of vnovelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereiiiafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but. for a full understanding of my the gear being shown ,in plan;

Fig'. 3 is a section taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. l and Fini 4: is a side elevation of one ofthe loiieitudinally-movable friction elements ofy which there are two.'

Referring` to the drawing', l -and 2 are followers adapted to engage wi th the usual stops on the underframe of farailway car, these fol lowers being in the forni of shallowrectangulai1 lidless boxes; the open side of the forward follower, l, being' directed rearwardly and the openV side of the other follower being directed forwardly. Vln the bottomv of each box is a ridge, 3, extending entirely across the box along one of the maior axes off-the latter; these ridges being` vertical in the arrangement shown, Each ridge isV roughly triangular or wedge-shaped in cross section,

the base of the triangle or wedge being nent to the bottom` of the box,` and .the apex pointingtoward the opposite follower. The

rspaced apart `adJacent shoe; f.

Between each shoe and the friction face two sides of each ridire between the base and the apex are either i'riction surfaces orare provided with wearing. shoes. ln the arrangement shown, the exposed sides of each `ridge are protected by loose wearing slices,

4. ln order to give to the structure a certain degree of flexibility, the surfaces of contact between the ridgesand the slices are not made fiat but they are segments of .cylindrical surfaces as indicated at 5. This arrangement permits the shoes to roclr to a limited extent' vupon the yridges and thus maires it 'possible to obtain full contact between the various frictional surfaces to behereinafter explained. rlChe outer face of each of the shoes is made flatand serves asvone of the effective friction surfaces. Side by side behind the front follower are two spring seats, 6 and 7 Two similar sprinoi seats, 8 and 9, are arranged just in front ofthe rear follower. lach of the forward spring; seatsv has a 'forwardlyextending projection, 10, provided rwith an inclined friction faceV spaced apart from but! parallel with the friction face on thecorresponding shoe. 1 Similarly. eacli'of the rear spring seats has a rearf wardly extending projection, l0, provided with an inclined friction' Vface parallel to but from ther friction face' of the on the adjacent spring; seat is a flat friction plate,.11, narrowerthan either of the two friction facesbe-tween which it is placed.

Each of the front frictionl plates is connected with a corresponding friction plate at therear so as to form therewith a single unit. This connection` may conveniently be I,effected by'making each front friction plate and the corresponding rear friction plate vthe end members of a rectangular frame whose other twomeinbers, l2 and 13, are 'spaced apart'far enough by the members l1 and are long enough to permiteach frame to embrace one of the forwardspring seats and the corresponding; rear spring seat while kthe two friction elements, 11, thereof are in operative relation t0 their co-operating friction surfaces. 4Between each pair of'spring seats is placed the usual heavy draftspring, 14, there being' one of these springs on each side of' the longitudinal axis of the Lcrear.

kThe spring' seats are prevented from moving,r

laterally by any suitable vmeans which will not prevent them from adjusting themselves `in the longitudinal directionas wear takes place. In the arrangement shown, the body portions of the spring seats lie outside of the box-like followers while the wedgeshaped projections entendV into the latter. Along' the free edges of the side walls of each of the boxes are inwardly-projecting flanges, 15. Each 0f the projections, 10, is provided with a vertical groove or seat, 16, in its outer face. In each of the grooves or seats, 16, rests a vertical roller or pin, 17, the parts being so proportioned that when they are assembled, the pins will be prevented from passingv out of the open sides of the boxes by reason of their engagement with the flanges, the pins in turn preventing` the withdrawal of the projections on the spring seats. However, as wear takes place, the pins vor rollers permit the springseats to move inwardly toward the boxes. Furthermore, when the springs are removed from the gear, the spring seats are free to rock on the pins or rollers and be swung laterally out of operative. relation to the followers.

In assembling the parts of the draft `'ear, all of the elements 'except the springs vare first placed in proper relation to each other and the springs "are then placed in position under an initial tension; the pressure of the springs on the spring seats holding them in position and preventinogrthem from acci- :dentally'roclring out of place. In'this con- 'ditionthe device is a complete unit ready to be 'placed in the car without requiring anything further to be done with it in the way "of assembly ror adjustment. When the device is to be placed on al car it is simply slipped into the yoke, '18, of a drawbar and brought'in operative relation to the follower stops when the drawbar is mounted in p'osivtion /on'the car. No means Iare retpa'ir'ed` to hold the spring-s in place. since they will not drop out during the ordinary treatment to which the jassembled unit will be subjected before being placed 'on a lcar and. after the unit has been placed on a car, the frame members or cheek plates of the latter will prevent the springs from coming` out.

Normally the parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig. Q of the drawing. `Y'Vhen a pull comes upon the drawbar` the'forward follower remains stationary while the rear follower moves ahead. The connecting pieces, 12 and 1'3, between the frictionpl'ates 11. act as struts between 'the two followers and therefore the rear follower can approach the 'other lonly by causing vthe '-frictionplates 11 rto lslide 'along-the shoes between which and lthe friction ifac'es Von the spring seats they are frictionally held. The farther the rear follower moves ahead, the `greater will be the lcon'ipression of the springs and there- 'fore the greaterwill be the pressure between the relatively movable friction surfaces. In other words, the frictiona'l resistancbin- Ycreases withy thelfload. Un der bulli-ng shock -two spring seats arranged side by the rear follower remains stationary and the forward follower moves back. The action of the friction devices is, however, preciselythe same as that just described.

It will b'e seen that the parts that are subjected to wear are comjiarativelyY simple and can therefore readily be replaced. It will furthermore be 'seen 'that although there are four friction shoes, four springV seats, and two frame-like devices, all of the shoes interchangeable, all of the spring seats are interchangeable, and the two frames are interchangeable; so that only threel different kinds of parts need be carrie l in stock for repair purposes. Thefollowers are not required to'have the properties of an eflicient friction device and may therefore be made of malleable iron or cast steel which will be strong and tough and therefore capable of withstanding long hard usage. It will also be seen that all of the parts of my improved device, aside from the springs, are rompan atively small and light so that a high degree of compactness is secured and it always possible to secure full spring `cajnicily when-A ever my improved friction ,gear substituted in 'existing` ecp'lipinent for a simple spring gear.

I claim:

l. In a. friction draft ,f gear.y two followers each having` a central wedge-shaped ridge on the side "directed toward the other follower,

side bchind the'front follower, two spring' seats arranged side by side in front 'of the rear follower, each springl seat having` inclined "friction-faces paralleling the inclined 'sides on said ridges, springs arranged between co 'espondinrg front and rrear sp1-iup seats, friction plateseach clamped between one o t said friction faces and the adjacent inclined face onthe cm'respondinal ridge, and means cooperatinplwith .said spring 'seats to prercnt them from beine` spread apart inthe lateral direction. and ymeans connectiii'g' each forward friction plate with ythe 'corresponding vrear friction plate. so ras to cause ythem to movein unison with 1each other.

p In a friction draft ear,-t\.vc followers each having a central wettige-shaped ridge on the side directed toward he other follower, vtwo spring' seats aia'anfred sido by side behind the :front follower, two spring;- seats rari-anged side by sidein front of the rear follower, each spring' seat having inclined frictionfaces paralloling the inclined sides 'on said ridges, springs arraugu-ul ha tween 'correspondingl'ont and rear spring seats, frameLli-lre members each embracing one of theforwardspringlseats and the corr'esjionding` rear spring scat, and means cooperating` with said spring seats toprcrent them from being; spread apart lin the lateral direction, the front and rear elements 'of said frame-like members ,lying between and 3. ln a friction draft gear, two followers each having a central wedge-shaped ridge on the side directed toward the other fol lower, two spring seats arranged side by side behind the front follower, two spring seats arranged side by side in front of the rear followeryeach spring seat having inclined friction faces paralleling the inclined sides on said ridges, springs arra-ngeigl between corresponding front and rear spring seats, friction plates each clamped between one of said friction faces and the adjacent inclined face on the corresponding ridge, means coiinecting each forward friction plate with the .cor espondingrear friction plate so as to cause them to move in unison with each other, and means engaging said spring seats to hold them against lateral displacement;

while permitting themto .move longitudinally relatively to. the corresponding followers Vto com iensate for wear.

4. In a Vfriction draft gear, two follow-y ers each having a central wedge-shaped ridge on the side directed towardl the othfr follower, shoes lying loosely against the two sides of each ridge, the engaging surfaces between the shoes and the ribs being curved to permitJ the shoes to shift through .a limited angle,` two spring Aseats lying side by side behind the front follower, two spring seats lying side by side in front ofthe rear follower, each spring seat having an inclined friction face spaced apart from and parallel with one of said slices, two springs between the front and rear spring seats, a friction `,late lying between each shoe and the co-operating friction face on the adjacent spring seat, and means co-operating with said spring seats to prevent them from being spread apart in the lateral direction and means connecting each front friction plate with the corresponding rear friction plate so as to join them into'a single unit.

5. In a friction draft gear, two box-like followers vhaving their open sides directed toward each other, each box having in the bottom thereofa central wedge-shaped ridge extending across Vthe same, two spring seats lying side by side adjacent to the open side of each of said boxes, each spring seat hav*n ing apart projecting into the adjacent box and provided with anV inclined friction face parallel with the adjacent side of the corresponding ridge, two frame-lilre members each embracing one of the front spring seats and the corresponding rear spring seat, the front and rear elements of said frame members lying between and vengaging the friction surfaces on vthe spring seats and the adjacent sides Vof the said ridges, and means co-operating with said spring seats to prevent them from being spread apart in the lateral direction and springs between the front spring seats and the rear spring seats.

6. ln a friction draft gear, two box-like followers having their opensides directed toward each other, each box having in the bottom thereof a central wedge-shaped ridge extending across the same, twospring seats lying side by side adjacent to the open side Of each of said boxes, each spring seat having a part projecting into the adjacent box and provided with an inclined friction face parallel with the adjacent side of the correspending ridge, two frame-like members each embracing one of the front spring seats andthe corresponding rear spring seat, the

front and rear elements of said frame members lying between and engaging the friction surfaces on the spring seats and the adjaicent sides of the said ridges, springs belying side by side adjacent tothe open side i of each of said boxes, each spring seat hav Ving a part projecting into the adjacent box and provided with an inclined friction face parallel with the adjacent side of the corresponding ridge, two frame-like members each embracing one of the front spring seats and the corresponding rear springseat, the front and rear elements of saidframe Vineinbers lying betweenand engaging the friction surfaces on the spring seats and the adjacent sides of the said ridges, springs between the front spring seats andthe rearl spring seats, the side walls of said boxes adjacent to said parts on the spring seats having inwardly-directed flanges, said parts having in their outer faces grooves or seats parallel with said flanges, and rollers resting in said seats and engaging with the corresponding flanged side walls.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specilication.

VwiLLnii/i n. VAN Donn.

i ay 

